By Laci Strouse
Nicole (Shae Robins), a travel blogger, and Kade (Mason D. Davis), a marketing representative, both end up at the same hotel while traveling for work in Polynesia. This small encounter leads to a wonderful friendship, only hampered by Kade’s boss wanting him to take down any threat to his company, including Nicole’s blog. He must decide if his career is worth destroying the career of the woman he loves.
This movie stood out to me because of the setting. The movie begins with Nicole and Kade meeting one another in French Polynesia. There are shots of beaches, mountains, islands, and tons of luscious greenery. It truly put me in the mood of wanting summer after a long winter. The characters engage in a lot of summer activities such as kayaking and walking on the beach which made me want to join in.
On the next business trip, the setting changes to Cappadocia, Turkey. Nicole and Kate see a bit of everything from Turkish meals and city scenery and camel rides. They show a great variety of Turkish culture in a short amount of time.
The setting then shifts again to Scotland. This is the country where the most dramatic arc takes place. It shows beautiful luscious green hills and roaring oceans drifting onto a beach. At this location, the two protagonists take a romantic walk on the cliffs by the seaside.
The last and final setting did not disappoint. The movie finishes in Finland with nothing but snowy mountains. To top it off there was a starry night sky and a clip of the Northern Lights. The only issue is that the setting for Finland was created using noticeable special effects.
The different locations are what made the film stand out from other romances. While traveling along with their blooming romance you get to view different places around the world and taste a glimpse of their cultures.
It was easily identifiable that this movie used the forced proximity trope although I could also see it having a mix of friends to lovers. The film immediately begins with the two main protagonists having to share the same living quarters. They had a conflict about it for a few minutes, yet quickly got along and became friends. I thought that the film jumped into the trope too quickly and would’ve preferred some background context before meeting the male love interest. Despite this, it still flowed well and had a smooth transition from friends to lovers.
Another thing that flowed naturally was the character arcs throughout the film. Nicole’s personality was consistent throughout the film. She is kindhearted and very adventurous. She loves to try new things and look for the next big journey to explore.
Kade on the other hand is more relaxed and just wants to get his job done instead of vacationing. Throughout the film, Kade is the one who grows the most. He becomes more open to trying new experiences as Nicole continuously pushes him outside of his shell. Kade has a caring and compassionate heart and that just grows stronger throughout the film. As his boss wants him to scheme in malicious ways to grow his company, Kade stands firm in his beliefs to act in a righteous and honorable way.
Another character we see is Nicole’s best friend, Miranda (Kerry Kalu). Miranda goes on the trip with Nicole to scope out Kade’s character. She was intended to be likable, but she came across as flirty when she first met Nicole’s love interest. She then did a lot of snooping which ended up causing a rift in Nicole and Kade’s relationship. I understand that they wanted her to be a caring best friend who wanted what was best for Nicole. However, I think she could’ve been portrayed as less dramatic and quick to act. The second she found out that Kade was also a writer she was quick to caution Nicole and confront Kade. It took away from the realism of the movie because of the added drama and suspense within her character.
Technically, the film is mostly well done. The graphics were very clear and crisp. Having poor camera quality can take away from the film and be a distraction, which isn’t something I noticed during the film. This quality truly made me feel like I was traveling to these locations alongside Nicole.
The effects were also well done besides a few of the scenes while they were in Finland. As mentioned above, the Northern Lights was a grand moment as Kade looked up, yet it felt fake and completely computer-generated. This took away from the special moment in the scene. All of the other effects were done well and didn’t distract me from the movie.
The acting scared me a bit when I started the movie. I felt a little forced and not well done. As the movie progressed it wasn’t as noticeable and isn’t something that should turn the viewers away. I think all of the characters were trying a bit too hard to come across as charming and likable, but besides that, the actors and actresses portrayed their roles pretty well.
Overall the film is suitable for all age groups and is a fun family watch. It is a comfort film with no major plot turns for everyone to leisurely enjoy. If you love romances similar to Hallmark style, you are sure to love watching this film.
“Passport to Love” is available to watch on PureFlix.
Laci Strouse is a sophomore Professional Writing and Information Design major as well as a reporter for the Cedars. She enjoys reading Christian novels, running, and trying new delicious flavors of iced chai tea lattes.
Photos Courtesy of pureflix.com
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